ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, August 14th, 2012

Mr. Chairman

Members of the Head Table

Distinguished Ladies and Gentleman

A very pleasant good morning to all of you.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of us from the Caribbean. I think that if you are from the Caribbean and you have been watching the Olympics you must feel a sense of pride. I was in London for part of the Olympics and I felt a deep sense of pride when I realized that we had been competing against the world and that we have distinguished ourselves in such a manner. I think that we all need to be proud of the accomplishments of our athletes. It speaks volumes to what we can achieve in this part of the world if we strive for higher ideals.

In another part of my life I studied plant physiology and biochemistry. We understand life and that there are plants and animals. You as Caribbean Plant Directors have a significant role to play. I am a physician and I look after people. You all look after plants. The work that I, and people like me, do is no more important than the work that you do. Man cannot be sustained without plant-life.

I hope that you really understand and appreciate the significance of Plant Health Directors.

It is with pleasure that I welcome you to the shores of these beautiful Virgin islands and take this opportunity on behalf of our Honourable Premier and the government to say “Welcome.”

Not because I am from this part of the world, but see that this is a beautiful part of the world. We hope that you take some time out to enjoy it a little. See the sunrise, see the sun set; enjoy the water and the peace and tranquility. It doesn’t belong to any of us, but it is yours to enjoy for the time that you’re here. Take some time out to appreciate the beauty that God has endowed this part of the world.

Your presence here today along with our commitment as a Territory to the protection and enhancement of the agricultural industry are a clear indication that combined efforts in combating any and every thing that seeks to destroy this very vital industry could lead to nothing other than SUCCESS.

I say success because it is only when we understand the challenges, failures and opportunities of each other, do we devise coherent strategies. It is only when we dialogue with each other, do we reform the root causes and address bottom lines. Colleagues, it is only when we share information, do we create and implement standard operating procedures so that all of us can achieve consistency; consistency in purpose, consistency in expectations and consistency in service.

As Minister responsible for Agriculture, I hereby pledge the support of the Government of the Virgin Islands to the Caribbean Plant Health Directors Forum to be a part of the consistency efforts to encourage the highest level of food security in our respective shores.

Working together rather than individually will certainly give us a more realistic approach to addressing the agricultural issues of the region.

Colleagues, no doubt, it is of paramount importance for us to become more and more aware of the economic, cultural and food production threats of invasive species in the Caribbean.

In 1995, this Territory saw an infiltration of the Pink Mealy Bug infecting our crops and the relentless efforts of agricultural professionals to take a multi-prong approach to address the issue. Ladies and gentlemen, even though our gratitude was already expressed to Mr. Wayne DeChi, I would like to publicly thank him in this forum, along with the Department of Agriculture for diligently working to get that problem under control.

Just recently, I also learned about the threats of other exotic pests such as the Red Palm Mite, the Giant African Snail, Citrus Greening, Citrus Canker, Fruit Flies, Red Palm Weevil and Frosty Pod in cocoa. These pests can reduce food production, upset the ecological balance of the environment and endanger our biological resources if they are not contained.

And I am sure, we are all mindful of the drought that is taking place in the Mid-western United States and the effect that it has had on corn production especially. What we are already seeing in the media is that food prices throughout the world are likely to increase.

The work that you do is ever so important; to ensure that these pests do not affect food production, so that our food prices won’t continue to escalate.

With this threat hovering over us, it is obvious then, that we need to devise a multidimensional approach to prevent these pests from invading our respective countries.

The Caribbean Plant Health Directors (CPHD) Forum is now in its fifth year and this means something. It means that there is a continuous commitment to combating the problems incurred with invasive crop species, regionally.

It is also important to note that as the region, and indeed the world, moves towards integration on many fronts we are all susceptible to common threats. And, certainly as it relates to trade, the likelihood of these pests moving from one jurisdiction to another becomes very real.

This common problem of plant health must be dealt with by all of us, together. This, I believe is the only way we will make any meaningful progress towards a solution that is inclusive of all of us.

While these pests have not yet reached our borders, I think that what we are doing today is important; we are being proactive. It is only when we plan ahead we can assure an effective strategy for sustainability. It is only when we think ahead, can we prepare effectively to combat what is to come.

Here in the British Virgin Islands we are moving towards the implementation of the International Health Regulation, which must go into effect by 2014.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development is spearheading this effort, while the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour through the Department of Agriculture is integrally working closely with Her Majesty's Customs Department and the Environmental Health Division to ensure our two primary ports of entry becomes certified as per the requirement of the World Trade Organization.

So far, a series of meetings have been held which is inclusive of the private and public sectors, to raise awareness on the requirements of the regulations and our gaps and strengths.

We are also working with our regional counterparts as a member of the safeguarding Technical Working Group (STWG) which held its first meeting here in the BVI, at Treasure Isle Hotel, on January 6-7, 2011. This newly established working group provides a forum where new and innovative ideas, as well as, methods and procedures for safeguarding are explored by a subset of experienced officials and scientists operating in the region.

Colleagues, a huge part of our strategic agricultural plan is training so that we have the capacity on staff to deal with this vexing pest problem. To stay ahead of the curve, we have seen it fit to train our agricultural professionals to deter and mitigate against pests reaching our borders. Ms. Isha Hodge received training in Plant Quarantine Principles and Procedures in August 2011 and Ms. Sylvia Faulkner was trained in the second cohort in July of this year.

In addition, Ms. Josette Allen was also trained in Lepidoptera Identification in September 2011. Additionally, the BVI hosted a workshop on the Identification of Fruit Flies of Economic Importance in collaboration with APHIS and USDA where eleven quarantine officers were trained as well as representatives from across the region.

Let me also take this opportunity to say, the potential impacts of changes in climate to agriculture such as increase in pests, weeds, diseases and invasive species will continue to create demand and challenges for us as a region. That is why we must continue to partner with each other to ensure the best agricultural practices become the norm to reduce the impact to our respective countries.

Part of my responsibility as Minister has to do with the whole concept of “greening” for the economy and how critically important plant life is to ensure that the green house gases that are emitted do not continue to destroy us as a human species. It is vitally important that you really take-to-heart, the seriousness of the job that you do to ensure that plant-life is not only maintained, sustained, but continues to play the vital role that is so critically important for all our survival.

It was Albert Einstein who said that “the problems that have been created cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created those problems.” I understand that we have academics, practitioners, a whole host of brain gathered here today. I think that it is so important for all of us to understand the critical role that you play and that we as a human species must pay attention to this whole concept of green house gasses, of this window that has been created in the o-zone layer, and the warming of the oceans. I am sure it is obvious to most people now that the concept of climate change is very real.

So I take this opportunity, once again to welcome you to these beautiful Islands. I hope that your deliberations are successful and I hope that you find some time for recreation and rejuvenation in a part of the world that I think is so fitting for that purpose.

Once again Welcome, I thank you. God bless you all and God continue to bless these Virgin Islands.

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